


Midori no Sensei

by yinngoh



Series: Midori no Sensei [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 22:57:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8641435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yinngoh/pseuds/yinngoh
Summary: Somehow wanting to travel and think about what to do with the life ahead of him led Harry to become an Assistant Language Teacher in Miyagi?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a simple fic I wrote a while back when S2 was still being released."  
> There are 4 chapters that make up the bulk of this 'part', and if I write more it'll be under the next part of the series.
> 
> Bear in mind the original draft plot had m/m romance planned for later so if you're not a fan, then you can just read this part alone :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or respective fandoms, only the story.

_Just how… did I end up here?_ thought Harry as he stood in front of a room full of students, curious gazes directed at him, waiting.  
  


After the war finally came to an end, Harry had surprisingly – only to him – received a full recommendation to join the Ministry’s Auror force; even without having completed his final year yet. Though it had once been thought to be a fair job to him, Harry began to think that his year on the run drained any inclination of continuing to fight even after the war. He just felt too tired of it all; he had half a mind to become a recluse and manage a farm in the country or something, if only the thought hadn’t led him into a fit of laughter imagining himself: Harry Potter, the Shepard.  
  


He thought of going back to finish his final year, but somehow even Hogwarts had lost her charm. Probably because of all the dark memories and dangers he’d unconsciously associate with Hogwarts. Yet, Harry didn’t think he was ready to settle into the ‘graduate, find a job, marry, find a family’ cycle now that he actually _could_.  
  


Hermione had suggested a ‘gap year’. In his understanding, it was taking a year – or more – off to ‘find himself’. Hermione had said this was usually accompanied by travelling to various different countries and doing odd-jobs to pass the time and pay for expenses along the way.  
  


It sounded good to him; like a holiday. Once he had made any important preparations, he left soon after. He didn’t need much with him anyway; too used to getting by with the bare minimum. He had started off by going to America, taking in the sights and boisterous feel completely unlike the UK. And now, after making his way through Europe, Harry had somehow found himself in… Japan.  
  


This brought him back to his current situation. Somehow… he didn’t even know how, probably some kind of major miscommunication, it seems he had taken up a temporary teaching position at a high school?  
  


He kept hearing the term ‘ALT’ used; ‘Assistant Language Teacher’. Now, looking back at the expectant sea of students before him, Harry resisted the urge to simply shrug as he thought, _ah why the bloody hell not. The contract includes a place to stay and everything so that settles that. And maybe even a break of being a total tourist might be a good change._  
  


               “ **My name is Harry Potter. Or in your culture; Potter Harry. I look forward to working with you all.** ” He gave an awkward bow, not really all that sure about Japanese customs, given he’d arrived hardly 2 days ago.  
  


Beside him, a stern older lady – the resident English teacher – nodded. “Potter-san will be standing in as your ALT this year. I hope that you will all make full use of this opportunity to practice your English with a native speaker. **As such, Potter-san, I ask that during class you only speak English**.”  
  


Harry nodded, “ **I understand.** ”  
  


               “Well then, how about you all ask Potter-san some questions? Be sure to ask properly and also give me your translation of Potter-san’s answer.”  
  


Harry had to mentally thank God for Hermione once again for her hindsight of providing him with a translation spell in case he decided to travel to non-English speaking countries. Oddly enough, when the spell was in effect, it took more effort to think about speaking English than it did to speak the native language of that country.  
  


There was a lull in the classroom before a shy hand went up from one girl in the second row. “ **Potter-san, how old are you? If I may ask?** ”  
  


Harry smiled encouragingly and replied, “ **that’s fine. I will be turning 19 in a few months.** ” He tried to talk slower, and enunciate properly, but didn’t want to make it so that it seems he might be insulting their capabilities. Harry waited patiently as the student seemed to be encouraged by the fact that she understood his answer – guess it was different when you think you’re good at something and to actually see that it’s true – and she translated his answer to their teacher.  
  


This process repeated until every student had asked at least one question. The girls seemed to fare better at idle talk and questions than the boys, who had no idea what to ask, and sometimes said things that made little sense.  
  


“ **Where are you from?** ” **I was born in Surrey, England, and studied in Scotland.**  
  


“ **Do you play sports?** ” **I did, although it was a sport unique to my school.**  
  


“ **Have you dated before?** ” That one elicited some giggles and a disapproving look from the teacher. **I’ve dated two girls but they were both very brief relationships**.  
  


“ **What do your parents do?** ” **I’m not sure. They passed away when I was very young.** Profuse apologies followed his answer, but he waved them away easily, knowing they hadn’t meant any harm in the question.  
  


“ **What was your favourite subject?** ” **I was never a very good student… but I always did well in physical education**.  
  


“ **How did you learn Japanese?** ” **My friend taught me the basics. I can’t read or write, though.**  
  


“ **What are your friends doing?** ” **The one who taught me is now getting into politics. Another is training to become a policeman.**  
  


And on they went. He tried to keep his answers relatively short and similar in length so that it was more equal for everyone. He was impressed at the level their English were at, though their pronunciation was very accent-laden, and hoped that the hesitation in their voices would disappear the longer he was here.  
  


* * *

  
“…and this is where the nurse’s office is, in case you or any student gets injured or feels sick. If you go down that hallway and exit, it’ll lead you to the— oh!” Takeda-sensei checked his watch and blanched at the time.  
  


He had offered to show Harry around the school after classes had finished, stating that he had some business that would have him staying behind anyway. In the short time he’d interacted with the man, Harry found that he quite liked the other teacher. He was nice, though a little poetic at times, and his personality was a refreshing change to people back home – where Harry had to worry about what kind of ulterior motive anyone approaching him had.  
  


               “I’m sorry to have to cut you off, Potter-san. I was meant to speak to the volleyball club a few minutes ago and it just slipped my mind!”  
  


               “Oh, no, I’m sorry for having taken up so much of your time, Takeda-sensei.” Harry apologized, but an intriguing expression crossed his face. “Actually, would you mind me tagging along? I’m quite interested to see some of the club and sport activities here…”  
  


               “Of course!” Takeda smiled brightly. “I’m the supervising teacher for the volleyball club and just need to let the team know about something that came up earlier today.  
  


As they walked, Harry asked about the club and was amusedly treated to a full low-down of Karasuno’s volleyball team; it’s glory days, then fallen reputation, current revival and the Inter-High School competition that had passed not long ago.  
  


Approaching one of the school’s various gymnasiums, Harry could already hear the faint sounds of shoes squeaking on floorboards and voices from the inside. Though he’d only said it as an excuse to tag along at first, Harry found himself honestly interested to see one of the many sports he might’ve played if he hadn’t gone to Hogwarts.  
  


Takeda slid opened the gym doors just in time to see what he assumed as the possible new manager Kiyoko had spoken about.  
  


               “—ntil recently, we’ve been called things like the _fallen powerhouse_ , or _flightless crows_. But this time, we’re going to make it; all the way to the nationals.”  
  


Smiling, Takeda glanced back to wave Harry in. Stepping in, Harry’s attention was immediately captivated by the sheer concentration and serious atmosphere. He watched, entranced, as a single ball was smacked around the court, making resounding impact noises. The focus the players had and their movements made what should be a simple game at a glance look much harder and complicated.  
  


He couldn’t bring himself to look away, until they finally finished practice and gathered around. Harry could feel Takeda’s gaze on him a few times, and his expression in Harry’s peripheral vision looked pleased at Harry’s reaction, so he didn’t feel as guilty about being so absorbed in watching the practice.  
  


Harry realized that aside from a few other glances from two girls in the sideline and a man he assumed was the couch, none of the players’ attention had strayed even to notice he was there.  
  


               “Gather around!” yelled Daichi, after catching a nod from Coach Ukai signaling the end of practice. As the members of Karasuno stopped and made their way around Coach Ukai by the entrance of the gym one by one, they noticed Takeda-sensei and one other person had entered the gym at some point.  
  


Before anyone could comment on it, Takeda spoke, “Um, I know this is rather sudden, but Ouginishi High School called to request a practice match tomorrow, and I accepted. They apparently saw us at the Inter-High preliminaries and insisted.”  
  


The team brightened up at the comment, many beaming with pride at the fact that _another school_ had asked _them_ for a match. Especially considering just until recently Takeda-sensei had had to call in numerous favours – and end up begging most of the time – just to get practice matches; many of which never happened.  
  


               “Don’t forget your frustration and bitterness from losing to Seijoh,” Coach Ukai spoke up. “However, the feeling of loss, is the only thing you don’t need. So hurry up and get rid of it!”  
  


Karasuno’s volleyball team broke out in loud cheers, two of the more rowdy boys jumping up with shouts and fist pumps. The boys were immediately distracted by chattering to one another excitedly about the match.  
  


Harry had finally taken notice of the other people there aside from the players themselves and thought he shouldn’t be rude any longer and introduce himself at least. He turned to the man beside Takeda-sensei, holding out a hand. “Hello, my name is Potter Harry. I’ve recently joined as an ALT here.”  
  


Ukai turned to the foreigner who he noticed had come in with Takeda-sensei earlier. It made sense now that he’d be an ALT. His Japanese was better than most ALTs he’d met, however. “It’s a pleasure, I’m Ukai Keishin, currently the volleyball coach. Do you play volleyball? I saw you watching the boys before.”  
  


               “No, I’ve never played before,” Harry shook his head. “But your team sure is amazing. Volleyball looks very intense, from what I’ve seen.”  
  


Laughing, Ukai couldn’t decide whether to shake his head or nod at that statement. “Well, that depends on the players I think. Other than those who play competitively, volleyball is usually regarded as a relatively easy sport.” Ukai noticed Kiyoko and the new manager-in-training joining their small circle.  
  


“Let me introduce the team’s manager, Shimizu Kiyoko.” Kiyoko nodded once, which Harry returned in kind, repeating his name to the girls. “And Yachi Hitoka, our possible future manager.”  
  


               “Ah Yachi-san, I’ve had your class today, haven’t I?” Harry noted, recalling the shy girl who’d had a surprisingly good command of English but was terribly uncertain and insecure about herself. His assessment was proven when the girl squeaked and stammered out an affirmative reply.  
  


Hoping to reassure her, Harry smiled. “Your English is very good, you know? Better than most in your class, at least. Feel free to practice with me anytime you like. It doesn’t just have to be during class.”  
  


Yachi’s demeanor brightened at the praise, though she blushed too. “Ah! Thank you so much! No, I don’t think—I’m that—I mean…” She glanced up at the foreign teacher nervously. “I would appreciate help on my… pronunciation…”  
  


               “Of course!” Harry grinned. He was impressed she had singled out her pronunciation more than anything else. He knew most Japanese practiced English with each other in a Japanese accent, so didn’t realize that hardly sounded understandable to actual English-speakers. “And perhaps you could help me on mine?”  
  


Though he had the translation spell to rely on, he hoped that immersing himself in the language would get him accustomed enough to it that he could do without the spell soon enough. And also while he spoke fluently, he realized that his own pronunciation was somewhat accented too. Harry smiled at the shocked look on Yachi’s face at a _teacher_ asking help from a _student_.  
  


Harry straightened when he realized the students had begun packing up and also nodded when the two girls excused themselves to help out. He turned to the two men left, “Takeda-sensei, Ukai-san, would you mind if I came to watch the practice match tomorrow?”  
  


Resisting the urge to smile at the clear interest in Potter-san’s eyes, Takeda shook his head and help up his hands, “not at all!”  
  


               “Sure thing,” Ukai grinned. “The boys could use a few fans of their own.” He laughed at his own comment but truly thought that the boys could use at least one or two more people cheering _for them_ at games sometimes.  
  


Harry excused himself soon after, forgetting that he had a few more things to settle such as stocking his own fridge and also thinking about how and whether to furnish his new apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

Potter-san hadn’t dropped by to today’s practice, but Takeda guessed that that may have been more of out of courtesy than lack of interest. He wondered if Potter-san would be alright finding his way over on time for their practice match this afternoon…  
  


               “—sei, are they going to be alright on their tests?” Coach Ukai’s whispers broke Takeda out of his thoughts. “Especially our idiot-four.”  
  


Takeda suppressed an amused smile but didn’t get the chance to answer as Kiyoko entered and announced that Ouginishi would be arriving in a few hours. Excusing himself, Takeda went off to meet up with the coach and supervising referee for today’s match as well as see if he could find Potter-san in the process.  
  


* * *

  
Yawning tiredly, Harry wondered to himself whether it was too early for him to head over to the gym to watch today’s practice match. Classes had ended a while ago and he’d completed some rough lesson plans for the next few days while he knew clubs were going on as usual.  
  


He walked down the halls leisurely, thinking that maybe he could kill at least a bit of time strolling around on his way to the gym. As he turned a corner, he heard some talking and saw two unfamiliar figures.  
  


               “—don’t apply anymore.” One man laughed. Harry caught sight of the writing on his jersey and barely made out the name of the school the team would be playing against today. “After all, at the In-High prelims, they played against Aoba Jousai for a full set with the last having a deuce reaching in the 30s.”  
  


               “Seriously?” the other, unfamiliar-jersey man exclaimed, shocked.  
  


Harry vaguely recalled hearing some of that from Takeda’s ‘brief’ breakdown of Karasuno’s volleyball team yesterday. He smiled unconsciously at realizing how much right Takeda-sensei had to be proud of the team if that was the reaction they got for their last tournament.  
  


The unfamiliar man continued, “Ah… but Chidoriyama’s Nishinoya and Kitagawa Daiichi’s Kageyama are here though huh?”  
  


               “Well they are, but,” the grim look on the Ouginishi man’s face easily exposed his clear interest in Karasuno. “Particularly their #10, Karasuno’s center, is a first-year with extraordinary physical prowess. Sometimes even his mere presence has an astonishing effect on the game.”  
  


_#10_? Thought Harry. _Who’s that? Well… I didn’t really take note of any of the player’s position numbers but I guess I’ll have to keep a look out for who it is later. Also those two he mentioned earlier…_  
  


“Karasuno’s probably evolving,” the Ouginishi man’s statement pulled Harry’s attention back in time to see Takeda-sensei peeking out from one of the staffrooms.  
  


               “Oh, thank you for coming so far!” Takeda greeted the two visitors. Then, another figure caught his eye and he blinked, “Potter-san! Just in time. Shall we all head over to the gym together?”  
  


Harry mind blanked for a second before he smiled and bowed, greeting Takeda-sensei and introducing himself to the two other men, learning that the one was the Ouginishi coach and the other a representative from Miyagino University who offered to stand in as referee for the match.  
  


* * *

  
The four men entered the gym to the sight of players from both teams either warming up or getting changed. _Right in front of a girl_ , Harry noted at the sight of Yachi covering her eyes, blushing at the brazenness of the boys in front of her. _Well… Shimizu-san looks used to it though_.  
  


As the Karasuno team got ready and changed into their official uniforms, Harry smiled to see how well everyone got along with one another, so much that they were really quite rowdy. But, having been a Gryffindor, this was actually familiar to him, actually.  
  


Takeda-sensei motioned for Harry to follow him as he led him to stand by the coach. As the team gathered round, Harry listened to Coach Ukai and grinned at his rousing words. He distantly heard Takeda-sensei and Shimizu-san speaking, but was just as distracted as Yachi at the shift in Karasuno’s atmosphere.  
  


Harry sat and watched, entranced, by the game. He was thankful to both Takeda-sensei and Coach Ukai for filling him in with tidbits of information every time he so much as made a confused face at something in the game. Luckily, as with Quidditch, he soaked it all up easily.  
  


Soon enough, his fingers were eagerly gripping the edges of his seat as players called out to one another. Harry’s sharp gaze caught a familiar form’s zooming run up to the net into a seemingly-weightless leap almost above it. His jaw was slack as he watched the ball, probably too fast for anyone but a seeker, whizz from one player to the other and smack onto Ouginishi’s court.  
  


Takeda-sensei grinned and caught the eye of Ukai, tilting his head as they both glanced at Potter-san, an awed smile stretching across his face as Hinata landed from his leap.  
  


It was then that Harry belated noted the number displayed proudly on the player’s back - #10.

 

* * *

  
Harry couldn’t stop gushing to Takeda-sensei about how impressed he was by the game as they all packed up for the night. He didn’t feel guilty at all for rambling since Takeda-sensei himself had on a proud-sensei look upon his face as he simply nodded along to Harry’s words.  
  


Sidetracked by his latest argument with Kageyama over who had the coolest role in Drama, Hinata overheard the new foreign teacher speaking just as excitedly about the match to Takeda-sensei. Grinning, he went up to join the two teachers and cut in, “ne sensei! Are you going to become another supervising teacher too?” Then, Hinata froze as he recalled all his previous interactions with said teacher being only in English and started worrying if he had to say that in English instead. _English... English…_  
  


Harry blinked at the eager boy beside him and firstly recognized him as #10, then a bulb lit up in his head as he realized he knew the boy from one of his classes. If he remembered correctly, he struggled quite a bit on how theory-based it all was.  
  


Laughing in response to the boy’s question, Harry shook his head. “No, I don’t think that’s even possible, considering I’m really just a temporary teacher.”  
  


               “You mean you’ll be leaving soon, sensei?” Hinata’s face fell.  
  


               “Oh no, not for the rest of the year at least,” Harry reassured the bright-haired boy. “And please, just call me Harry.”  
  


               “Okay!”  
  


Harry was surprised at how easily the boy had accepted his correction. Most other Japanese he had said to so far had declined with the reason that it would be much too familiar to call him by his first name so quickly.”  
  


               “Oh, have you met the rest of the team yet?” Hinata just continued on. “Hey you guys! Come and meet Harry!”  
  


Chuckling amusedly, Harry could tell he liked the kid already, with how carefree he was. The rest of the team slowly gathered around at the kid’s calls.  
  


               “Everyone this is Potter-san. I’m sure quite a few of you have already met him as the new ALT at Karasuno,” Takeda-sensei introduced.  
  


               “Please, call me Harry,” Harry repeated again for everyone there as he smiled and nodded.  
  


Putting a hand over his chest, Hinata spoke, “you can call me Hinata, or Shoyo!”  
  


And on they went, the team introducing themselves; sometimes in how they’d prefer to be called. Later, he repeated _once more_ for the teachers that really, it’s fine to just call him Harry, no honorifics and everything.  
  


He faintly heard one or two of the students noting how unusual it was for him to insist on using his first name, not even with an honorific, before another – a tall blond that he could see in his peripheral – noted, “he’s from England. Westerners always call each other by their first names. It would be weird to him to be called by his family name like we do here.” His tone of voice practically dripping with _are you an idiot_ had Harry biting his lip in amusement as Draco came to mind.  
  


Harry was glad to note that he recognized and remembered most of the players on the team already from his various classes. As the finished the last of the cleaning up, Takeda-sensei came over to him and said, “Harry-kun, do feel free to come along to our practices. Though you may not have any official role in the club, as a teacher you do have rights to join in after all. And anyway, I’m always missing out on practices trying to get practice matches set up so I’d feel better too if another teacher could stand-in for me.”  
  


From Takeda-sensei’s grin, Harry could tell that was just an easy excuse given to him but Harry needed no excuse. “Thank you very much sensei, I’ll have to take you up on that invitation!”


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days passed routinely. Harry got to know a little bit more of Karasuno’s volleyball team and readily agreed to help out the pitiful few who needed remedial English support. He was glad to see that they had also approached Yachi and two first year ‘freak combi’ – as he was told was their affectionate nickname – had helped her gain some self-confidence with the constant praises on what a good teacher she was.  
  


Takeda-sensei had mentioned the Tokyo away games and also given him a bit more info about how those came about and their school’s reputation with Nekoma High School, but Harry had to decline – very begrudgingly – because he really needed to use the time to help with grading the English papers, helping out the English teacher whom he’d built a surprisingly good relationship with, and making some new lesson plans with her that would incorporate some more practical English exercises that they thought may help some students learn easier.  
  


Soon enough, Harry was giving secret encouraging smiles to Karasuno members as they took their English tests.

* * *

“—illed in all his answers off by one,” Tsukishima’s drawl could be heard faintly as Harry twisted the doorknob to the club room.  
  


               “Seriously? Unfortunately the English teacher, Ono-sensei, won’t let things like that slide.” Asahi commented in pity. Harry opened the door quietly, only Tsukishima, Sugawara and Asahi nearest to the door realized first.  
  


               “Yeah, Yachi-san was really shocked,” Yamaguchi added. “Oh, Harry-sensei!”  
  


The team turned to notice Harry closing the door behind him. Harry shot Yamaguchi an exasperated glance, the teen blushing slightly at his habit of still calling Harry ‘sensei’.  
  


               “I did try to talk to Ono-sensei about letting you off the hook for something like that, but unfortunately she said that it was a good lesson to learn now than to pay for it when it really counts.” Shooting Hinata an apologetic look, Harry shrugged.  
  


               “Well, don’t get too discouraged,” Sugawara pitched in. “This isn’t the only time we’ll have away ga—”  
  


               “How should we get to Tokyo?” Kageyama’s determined voice asked. “Should we run?  
  


               “No, shouldn’t we cycle?” Hinata shot back.  
  


Chuckling at Sugawara’s stunned jaw drop at the duo’s resolve, Harry was just thinking about how he could help them too when Tanaka stepped forward.

* * *

 

Harry never realized that marking papers would be so much mindless work. That is, unless there were essays or individual answers involved. However, most of the English paper written by Ono-sensei was either multiple choice – which they could easily put through the MCQ paper reading machine – or answers that only required skimming for key words the student should have used.  
  


Harry had sneakily hung around outside the room Hinata and Kageyama had taken their retests this morning and wished them good luck as they sped off after finishing.  
  


He’d spent the rest of the day marking the rest of the test papers with Ono-sensei before going home and lazily bought some convenience store bento for dinner, as well as a waffle ice cream that was quickly becoming a guilty pleasure of his. _Well, it really didn’t help that it barely costs $2._  
  


Exiting the store, a striking poster caught his eye. Harry’s brows went up as he recognized the figure on it as Hinata and read the details of the poster; ‘The Karasuno High School volleyball club is requesting donations’.  
  


_The club is short on funds?_ Harry wondered to himself. _Doesn’t Karasuno fund its clubs? Oh… could it be the costs of going to Tokyo for away games? I guess the school would have no reason to approve additional funds when there’s not yet any results shown._  
  


Having gotten him thinking, Harry snickered conspiratorially as he head back home.

* * *

 

Humming a nameless tune, Harry tapped his fingers against the papers he’d come back into the school to retrieve two nights later as he turned around the corner.  
  


Surprised, he saw Yachi bolting out of the gym and belatedly realized that the team must’ve just gotten back from the training camp.  It was then he heard sounds coming from the gym and thought the team must’ve been using it. Probably the freak duo, with how crazy they were for volleyball.  
  


               “Harry-sensei!” Yachi’s panicked tone had Harry straightening up in alert immediately. Then, her gaze jumped behind him and Harry turned to see Tanaka coming into view from where he must’ve been closing up the club room. “Tanaka-senpai! Please, please help! Hinata… Hinata and Kageyama are fighting!”  
  


               “Huh?!” Tanaka’s bewildered voice came but he made no questions as he sped up.  
  


Yachi turned to Harry, pleading for him to stop them. By the desperate look on her face, it really must be serious. He ran to catch up to Tanaka and dropped his files by the door, hearing Hinata’s ragged shouts, “if I don’t get better, it’s not going to work on stronger opponents either!”  
  


               “Oi!” Tanaka yelled at them, “stop it, you two!”  
  


Knowing how rowdy Tanaka can be, Harry quickly stopped him by a firm grip on the shoulder before he could make things worse and went up to the duo himself.  
  


               “Hinata, Kageyama! Stop fighting!” he called out firmly. Neither boys even acknowledged hearing him at all. Grasping at the shoulders of the two entangled boys, he shoved with enough strength to tear them apart.  
  


Hinata stayed where he was, panting for breath but glaring. Kageyama, however, looked furious and raised an ominous fist as he stalked forwards again. Taking advantage of his slow approach, Harry quickly grabbed his raised wrist, twisted behind him and used his free hand to push Kageyama by the shoulders down, pinning him to the floor.  
  


               “Get a grip on yourself, Kageyama!”  
  


His sudden fall to the floor seemed to have help Kageyama regain some semblance of sanity as he blinked, noting with a dull surprise, “Harry…sensei..?”  
  


Sighing, Harry glanced between the two winded boys. Though the boys fought all the time, it was always a playful banter rather than something like… this. The betrayal in Hinata’s eyes brought a painful reminder to Harry of his own fight with Ron back during the Triwizard Tournament.  
  


               “Hinata,” he said softly, waiting for the smaller player to look at him. “Why don’t you walk Yachi home. It’s already dark.” Harry tensed when Hinata’s gaze slid momentarily to Kageyama, but then nodded silently and walked out the door, whispering to Yachi that he would walk her home.  
  


Yachi squeaked out an unsure thanks and glanced at Harry who smiled and nodded at her before she darted out behind Hinata.  
  


“Tanaka, go on ahead.” The second-year looked like he was about to protest but a firm look from Harry had him shutting his mouth and nodding, leaving as well. Looking down, Harry quickly pulled away as he realized he was still pinning Kageyama down. However, the boy made no move to get up from where he was.  
  


               “Sensei…” a trembling, unsure voice, so unlike Kageyama, whispered.  
  


               “Yes, Kageyama?” Harry hummed, deciding to settle down on the ground next to him.  
  


               “Hinata—Hinata says he’s going to stop closing his eyes for our quick.”  
  


Frowning, it took Harry awhile to recall that the freak duo’s ‘freak quick’ worked with Hinata running and jumping to his fullest ability and allowing Kageyama to utilize that with a pinpoint toss. If Hinata wants to _stop_ closing his eyes… then that means he wants to have some control over the ball himself?  
  


               “And what’s wrong with that?” he asked genuinely. He’d come to understand – with a little help from Takeda-sensei – that the freak quick was unlike anything anyone else has attempted before. If Hinata also wanted to add his own twist to it, wouldn’t that make it even greater?  
  


Kageyama shot up from his sprawled position. “He can’t! He gets distracted by watching the ball and doesn’t put his full power into his jump! Not to mention his reflexes are too slow to try and hit it! And trust me when I say I’ve tried to do it on many other spikers before I realized with Hinata that _I_ have to be the one matching the spiker because there’s no way _they_ can hit the ball at the speed I’m aiming for!”  
  


Not knowing whether to be shocked or amused, Harry smothered a smile as Kageyama launched into a full-blown rant. “And why does he think he can improve the toss any more than it is already? _I’m_ already setting him the perfect toss! If he’s worried about the blockers, he _shouldn’t be_ because I’m setting him tosses that won’t be blocked! The time he’s used to try and plan where to hit himself is more time for blockers to get in position! That’s why this is the perfect toss!”  
  


Chuckling, Harry shook his head and smiled at Kageyama. “I don’t think there’s such a thing as the _perfect_ toss, Kageyama.” He held up a hand to silence Kageyama who looked ready to argue that. “If it was ‘perfect’, it would never be blocked. But I’m guessing from your fight that it did. And even if it didn’t, what’s the harm of letting Hinata try to hit it himself? It doesn’t mean that you have to do that in matches. You can still stick to your usual toss while practicing a new method too.”  
  


               “But we don’t have the _time_ for that!” Kageyama slapped a hand onto the floor in frustration. “The Spring Tournament is barely a month away and there’s _plenty_ of other things he should be working on before he even thinks of trying to improve my toss!”  
  


               “Well, I can’t argue with that, but Kageyama… sometimes you just need to take a step back and see the whole picture. Don’t you see how much you’re trying to control everything? It’s all ‘my toss, my ball’ and ‘I want, I will, I’m setting’. Do you think you make up all there is to the team?  
  


“Don’t you think that Nishinoya is just as important, receiving the ball so that you can set it easily? Or Daichi covering all of you newbie’s weaknesses so that you can play to the best of your abilities without worries? The spikers may rely on you, the setter, to set them the ‘perfect’ toss but don’t you rely just as much on them to make the right decision when spiking?”  
  


Kageyama had shut his mouth at the first mention of him undervaluing his teammates. His pride didn’t want him to listen to it, but he begrudgingly understood Harry’s words.  
  


               “The way I see it, if you discount the initial receive, you could put your toss into 50/50 sections. If, as you say, you set the spikers the ‘perfect toss’, then that’s a full 50% on your part. But if you set it so that you limit the spiker’s own ability, doesn’t that only produce a 50% effort?  
  


“So if your opponent has a setter that sets at maybe 30%, but makes the tosses easy for the spikers to control the ball to their will with another 30%, isn’t that already more than your sole 50%? Why can’t you set a toss that’s 50%, that also allows the spikers to attack at their full ability, with the best possible attack, and land a point that’s 100%?  
  


“I’m nowhere near an expert on volleyball, Kageyama, but every player is bound to have different preferences. What is perfect for you may not be perfect for someone else. I think the ‘perfect’ toss is if you could set a ball that brings out the best of both your power _and_ the spiker’s.”  
  


Harry looked over at Kageyama to see him speechless, looking at the ground before him as if having reached an epiphany. “So, what would you say is _your_ perfect toss, Kageyama?”  
  


               “A… quick,” Kageyama stated unsurely. He’d never had to put into words for _someone else_ to understand what he wanted. “I want to set a ball that doesn’t give our opponents a chance to form a substantial block against.”  
  


               “Okay, then do that.” Harry said simply. “You’ve tried getting players used to reacting at a similar speed and that didn’t work, so how about trying to approach it in a different way? Think about how you could set a ball that is as fast as you say, but one that Hinata could control freely.”  
  


               “But that’s… how?” Kageyama asked. He’d hadn’t asked for guidance on volleyball since Oikawa-san, and even then Kageyama hadn’t exactly _gotten_ any help. He was too used to figuring it out on his own. Relying on himself. _Dictator King of the Court_. Kageyama’s hands fisted on his lap.  
  


Sighing, “unfortunately, you will have to work that one out with your teammates or coach, or at least another setter; maybe Sugawara. I have little to no experience in volleyball to even attempt helping you out.” He glanced at Kageyama in the corner of his peripheral and saw the boy frowning, doubting that such a thing was even possible.  
  


Harry stood up and dusted off his pants, before extending an arm to Kageyama. “You are young, and with the amount of dedication you and everyone on the team put into practice and improving, you should be more daring. Try new things. Don’t let time limit you. Don’t stop evolving. Variety is the spice of life, you know?” Harry smiled.  
  


               “Harry-sensei… um, that—thank you,” Kageyama managed to stutter out.  
  


               “I hope I’ve given you some things to think about. Now why don’t you head on home, you’ve got school tomorrow!” Harry patted Kageyama on the back as they exited the gym and locked up. “And it’s just Harry!”


	4. Chapter 4

Spinning a spare ball he’d picked up between his palms, Harry wondered how the two boys were doing. He didn’t manage to come for their Monday practice but Kageyama had come up to him and muttered that he’d done some thinking and was going to try asking for the opinion of a setter he knew.  
  


Just as Coach Ukai ducked out to see if there was anyone else lagging behind outside, Harry heard him call out to Hinata. “When we’re doing practice games, Hinata, you’ll be on the B team for now. Sugawara! I’m leaving him in your hands. Alright, we’re going to get started. Make sure you all keep hydrated!”  
  


Hinata jogged over to the other side of the court and Harry glanced over to see Kageyama walking in towards Hinata. As they crossed paths silently, Harry called out, “Kageyama, Hinata.” He noticed out of the corner of his eye Yachi fidgeting as he looked between the boys worriedly.  
  


               “How’re you feeling?”  
  


Both boys blinked and glanced quickly at one another before bowing, “we’re very sorry for the trouble we caused the other day!”  
  


               “Oh, no,” Harry held up his hands, “that’s alright. At least no one got seriously hurt.” He eyed the boys and noticed how they were studiously trying to ignore the other. Kageyama in particular had a frown growing on his face that looked like he was having more second thoughts.  
  


“So, Kageyama,” said boy glanced over at Harry. “about what we talked about. I was wondering… if I could hit one of your tosses, would that make you believe that you and Hinata could make it work too?”  
  


Kageyama tilted his head in confusion and Harry elaborated, “one of your freak quick tosses, I mean.”  
  


The setter’s eyes widened, “I thought you didn’t play volleyball, sensei.”  
  


               “I haven’t. But I have some confidence in my reaction speed.” Takeda-sensei and Coach Ukai had begun coming over to see what was the hold up and they both froze at Harry’s request.  
  


               “That’s impossible, Harry,” Coach Ukai waved a hand. “By the time Kageyama tosses his freak quick, you would barely have time to swing your hand down to hit it.”  
  


Shrugging, “well what’s the harm in trying?” he turned back to a stunned Kageyama. “What do you say, Kageyama? How about you toss it to Hinata as usual for… lets say, three times. Then give me three tries to hit it.”  
  


               “But why?” Kageyama finally spoke up.  
  


               “Well, if I hit it then you have to promise me not to give up trying to find a new way to fight together with Hinata,” Harry grinned. “And I guess if I don’t, I’ll treat you all to dinner.”

* * *

“Uh… um… well here goes,” Yachi stammered, before throwing the ball up over Kageyama’s head. Hinata dashed forward, and hardly a few seconds had passed before the ball was slammed against the floor on the opposite side of the court.  
  


Everyone tried – and failed – to glance casually at Harry, and many were surprised to see the focus in Harry’s gaze. He nodded, “okay, second one now.”  
  


Following the ball was surprisingly easy, especially given its predictable trajectory as compared to a snitch’s erratic zipping. But now Harry had the problem of figuring out the right timing he would need to swing. As he watched the second ball go, he lazily raised and swung his arm; testing out various positions as well.  
  


He saw Kageyama eye his movements with barely concealed doubt, but ignored it as he nodded again, “last one.” Hinata yelled as he ran up and jumped, delivering yet another perfect combination. Landing back softly on his feet, Hinata and Kageyama both turned to look at a thoughtful Harry.  
  


               “Alright,” Harry nodded once more. “let’s try this out then. Do you need to see me do a running start and jump?”  
  


Nodding, “yes, so I can tell how to adjust the toss to you,” agreed Kageyama.  
  


Harry tapped his the balls of his feet on the ground a few times to get his bearings before dashing forwards. Emulating what he’d seen the boys do, he ran up to a comfortable distance from the net and leapt straight up. _This is harder than I thought_ , as he gave a basic swing but kept a watchful eye for the net before him.  
  


               “Sorry, do you mind if I try this again? I think I might’ve been too close to the net,” Harry said bashfully to Kageyama who simply nodded silently.  
  


Returning, Harry did another run and leapt up, this time a good distance away, and noticed he manage to clear a good view of the opposite court from here as he made another swing, harder than before. “Okay, I think I’m good. Shall we give it a try then?”  
  


The moment Yachi called out, Harry dashed off, focus only on getting to the right position. As he pushed off the ground, his eyes darted to the ball just as it touched Kageyama’s fingertips. The ball flew on a straight trajectory, and he swung—hitting air.  
  


Behind, the team hissed and grimaced at the miss, but Harry was silent, eyes still following the trajectory of the ball past him.  Looking back at his swing, he realized he had swung slightly off angle; and even if it’d made contact, it would have bounced off the edge of his palm instead.  
  


               “Next please,” Harry rolled his shoulders as he walked back to his starting position. He ran, jumped and swung another miss. But instead of seeing a frustrated or surprised expression as the team expected, Harry was… smiling?  
  


_That swing was good. Now it’s just a matter of hitting it._ “Last one.” Almost everyone held their breath, even though at least half thought it was a moot effort. The ball went up, and Harry darted forward. It flew from Kageyama’s fingers and unconsciously tracing its flight path past Harry, it was surprising they didn’t get whiplash from the double take almost everyone did after the resounding _smack_! and subsequent thudding as the ball hit its mark.  
  


Silence—then, “whoa!!” the gym echoed with the cheers and shouts of the team. Harry turned around, embarrassed by such a boisterous reaction and simply smiled, before turning to a dumbfounded Kageyama.  
  


               “See?” Harry grinned. “Not impossible.” He thanked his quick reflexes a moment later when he almost collapsed under the weight of Tanaka, Nishinoya and Hinata jumping on him as they continuing yelling out and shouting their surprised praised.  
  


               “That was incredible, Harry!” shouted Nishinoya as he leapt up and down by a grip on Harry’s shoulders, much to Harry’s amusement and own awe.  
  


For once, Hinata was standing still and silent, but with stars shining in his eyes as he stared at Harry. Before, he might’ve been quick to say something like ‘teach me how to do that, Harry!’ But now that he had begun training with Coach Ukai Sr, Hinata no longer wanted to master this single quick. He wanted to be able to master all kinds of quicks.  
  


               “A—again, please!” Kageyama’s voice suddenly reverberated loudly. Everyone turned to see him staring intently at Harry.  
  


               “What’s this, Kageyama? Can’t believe someone actually managed to conquer your quick?” Sugawara joked lightly.  
  


Harry looked at Kageyama for a second, before smiling and nodding. “Alright then.” There was a second of hesitation before the team stood back and Harry walked calmly back to the edge of the court.  
  


Yachi called out, tossed the ball and Harry made his quick approach. His eyes intently on the ball, he swung, and struck his mark as his palm slapped snugly against the ball and altered its course. As he landed back down, once again to a round of cheers, Harry smiled crookedly at a wide-eyed Kageyama.  
  


The dark-haired setter lowered his arms and looked at his own hands and fingers, still wearing a dazed expression. _It’s… not impossible._ His fingers curled in to form fists as his eyes met Harry’s. Coach Ukai’s ridiculous proposal earlier didn’t seem as absurd anymore. Regardless of the fact that he’d said he’d try, deep down Kageyama didn’t really think such a toss was humanly possible.  
  


A grin curled his lips and a few of his teammates stepped back at that familiar expression. _If Harry could match my toss everyone called ‘unreasonable’, I’ll make it work with all our spikers._ Kageyama locked gazes with Harry, who was relieved to see the fire burning in those depths. _I’ll do it._


End file.
